


A Howling Good Time

by delusionalking



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Friendship, Gen, Werewolves, based on the Wolf and Red Riding Hood gacha cards!, enstars secret santa 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 20:19:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13107795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delusionalking/pseuds/delusionalking
Summary: Wolf hunter Nazuna visits his unlikely new friend on Christmas.





	A Howling Good Time

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the secret santa exchange on twitter for @aprofoundquiet! I hope you like it!

A chill in the air bit into the skin of Nazuna’s face as he made his way to the town gate.  Despite the cold, the clear sky showed no signs of snow, making it a perfect day for travel.

“Be careful out there, Nito-san,” one of the town guards said as Nazuna stepped up to the gate.

Pulling his red cloak tighter around himself to ward off the cold, Nazuna gave the man a gentle smile.  “I always am,” he said, waving as he left the safety of the town for the woods.

There wasn’t anything to worry about anymore, not since he had gotten that whole mess with Kuro-chin sorted out.  However, old fears die hard and the town was still afraid that wolves would return to the woods.  They remained isolated behind the safety of the walls, despite Nazuna’s reassurances that the woods were safe now.

Well, if wolves ever did return, Nazuna would take care of it, just as he always had.  The twin blades strapped to his waist were a testament to that.  Besides, he had help from Kuro-chin now and those kids he was raising showed a lot of promise when it came to hunting.

Thinking about their eagerness to learn brought a smile to his face.  As much as he just wanted to protect those kids, Nazuna knew he couldn’t shelter them for the world forever.  Their desire to help him protect the town was endearing as well, making his heart swell with pride at how good his kids were.

Nazuna shifted the basket he was carrying in his arms, trying his best not to jostle the contents too much.  It was filled with all kinds of baked goods, from breads to pastries to sweets, with fancy ribbons adorning the handle.  Sweet Hajime-chin has been the one to suggest they make sweets for the wolfman as a Christmas gift.  Nazuna hadn’t been sure of what Kuro-chin liked to eat, aside from meat of course, which is why they had made such a wide array of things.  Kuro-chin could always share what he didn’t want with those two odd friends of his that seemed to always be dropping by.

The forest darkened as he neared Kuro’s house and the chill in the air crept under his cloak once more.  Rather than be put off by this, Nazuna simply pulled his cloak tighter around him and picked up the pace.  He was close and soon enough, he could smell the smoke rising from Kuro-chin’s chimney.

A few moments later, Nazuna found himself at the doorstep to Kuro’s small cabin, built into a small clearing in the woods.  He knocked on the door confidently, a smile on his face as he waited for his friend to open the door.

When the door did open a moment later, Nazuna was greeted by the smell of something delicious and the sound of sweet lute music.  However, the man at the door was not Kuro-chin but the bespectacled monk that seemed to visit often.

“Ah, the hunter.  Come inside,” Hasumi said, stepping aside to make room for Nazuna.

Warmth seeped into him as Nazuna entered the house, finding it comfortable due to the roaring fire in the hearth.  The smell was coming from a pot simmering over the fire and beside it sat the bard with flame colored hair that seemed to always come and go without warning.  Nazuna gave him a small wave but was ignored, as the other young man seemed too entranced by the movement of his fingers over the lute strings.

“Ignore him.  He’ll never answer you when he’s like this,” Hasumi said.  His tone sounded annoyed, though the small smile on his lips betrayed how he really felt.

Nazuna idly wondered how long those two had known each other, and Kuro-chin, before the wolfman himself stepped in from the storage room, a bundle of firewood in his arms.

Kuro looked surprised for a moment before his face broke out into a smile.  He set down the firewood and hurried over to Nazuna.

“What are you doing here?  Shouldn’t you be home with those kids of yours on Christmas?” he asked, eyes glancing between Nazuna and the basket in his hands.

Despite how Kuro-chin towered over him, Nazuna felt at ease around him, just like he always did.  With a grin, he held up the basket so Kuro-chin could see the contents better.  “I can’t stay very long because of that but my boys wanted to make you something for Christmas.  It was Hajime-chin’s idea and he and Tomo-chin made all the sweets.  Mitsuru-chin helped me make the breads, because he wanted you to taste his favorites.”

Surprise once again marred the wolfman’s face as he carefully took the basket from Nazuna.  “But why…?”

“Because they know you’ve helped me out a lot, Kuro-chin!  My kids are good kids and they can tell that you’re a good person!” Nazuna beamed with pride at how smart those boys were.

“But I…”

“Oh just accept the compliment, would you?  Nito will be here all day if you keep rejecting them,” Hasumi said, stepping closer to them.  He plucked two cookies from the basket before tasting one. “These are really good.  Let the kids know that.”  With that, he grabbed the basket from Kuro and went to sit down by the bard, shoving one of the cookie’s in the other man’s mouth so he could keep playing music.

Smile growing wider, Nazuna knew that his kids would be happy that their gift was accepted so well.

“Uh, thank you,” Kuro said softly, a sheepish smile on his lips.  “I made something for you, too.  And the boys.”  He stepped away for a moment to grab a parcel sitting on his table.  “You told me you were training then to be hunters, so I thought they could use these.  And that you could use a new one, maybe.”

Nazuna took the parcel from Kuro and, curiosity piqued, he carefully pulled back a corner of the wrapping to peek inside.

Four red cloaks, similar to the one Nazuna was wearing right now, lay inside.  He ran a hand over them gently, marveling at the expert stitchwork and soft fabric.

“I figured they should all get their own hunter cloak… I hope that’s alright.”  Kuro looked a bit nervous as he spoke, watching Nazuna intently for his reaction.

“They’re wonderful, Kuro-chin!  I know the boys will think so too!  They’ve been wanting cloaks to match mine so this is perfect!”  Grinning, Nazuna threw his arms around Kuro in a quick hug.  “I should probably get going but I’ll bring them by soon so they can thank you properly!"

Kuro looked embarrassed for a moment, rubbing the back of his head before he finally smiled again.  “You’re always welcome here, Nito.”


End file.
